Learn Japanese Pod with Ami and Alex
Podcast 21: Conversation starters

In this lesson you will learn the following:✓​ Typical phrases and vocabulary Japanese people use to start
conversations✓​ Some useful small talk dialogs which you can use with your Japanesefriends.

LEVEL: Upper Beginner
SITUATION: You strike up a conversation with your friend whom you
haven’t seen in a while.

Learn Japanese Pod

Introduction
This podcast episode is about various phrases you can use to start up a conversation inJapanese. It is important to remember that each conversation is unique and how you start one
depends on who you are talking to and the situation. However, in this episode you will hearsome of the most common phrases you are likely to hear used by Japanese people. One final
thing to remember is that this episode focuses on casual conversations between friends.

Main Vocabulary
Here is a full vocabulary list taken from the podcast
Japanese

Pronunciation

English久しぶり

Hisashiburi

Long time no see

元気？

Genki?

How you doing?

相変わらずAikawarazu...as usual

バタバタしてる

Batabata shiteru

Really busy / hectic

夏バテNatsubate

Exhaustion from the summer

つらいTsuraiTough

最近どう？

Saikin dō?

How’ve you been?

すごく暑いSugoku Atsui

Very hot

すごく寒い

Sugoku Samui

Very cold

熱中症

Necchūshō

Heat stroke

風邪をひいちゃった

Kaze o hiichatta

I caught a cold

インフルエンザ

Infuruenza

Influenza

気をつけてねKi o tsukete neTake care

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Dialog 1
A:

久しぶり元気？

Hisashiburi genkiLong time no see, yougood?

B:

元気だよ。あみは？

Genki da yo. Ami wa?

I’m good. And you Ami?

A:

相変わらずバタバタしているよ。最近どう？

Aikawarazu batabata
shiteru yo. Saikin dō?

Busy as usual. How’ve youbeen?

B:

そうだね。ちょっと夏バテがつらい。

Sō da ne. Chotto natsubate
ga tsurai.

Well, I’ve been suffering
due to the summer heat.

A:

最近はすごく暑いよね。熱中症にならないように気をつけてね。

Saikin wa sugoku atsui yo
ne. Necchūshō ni naranai
yō ni ki o tsukete ne.

It’s been really hot recently
hasn’t it? Be careful not toget heat stroke.

B:

はーい！

HaaiSure.

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Dialog 2A:

久しぶり元気？

Hisashiburi genkiLong time no see, yougood?

B:

元気だよ。あみは？

Genki da yo. Ami wa?

I’m good. And you Ami?

A:相変わらずバタバタしているよ。最近どう？

Aikawarazu batabata
shiteru yo. Saikin dō?

Busy as usual. How’ve youbeen?

B:

そうだね。ちょっと風邪をひいちゃったよ。

Sō da ne. Chotto kaze ohiichatta yo.

Well, I caught a cold.

A:

最近はすごく寒いよね。インフルエンザにならないよ
うに気をつけてね。

Saikin wa sugoku samui yo
ne. Infuruenza ni naranai yōni ki o tsukete ne.

It’s been really cold recently
hasn’t it? Be careful not to
get influenza.

B:

はーい！

HaaiSure.

Learn Japanese PodMore conversation starters
1. Basic casual conversation startersEx.1
A: 元気？

Genki?

You good?

B: 元気だよGenki da yo

I’m good.

A: 久しぶり元気？

Hisashiburi genki?

Long time no see. You good?

B: 元気だよ。

Genki da yo.

I’m good.

A: 最近どう？

Saikin dō?

How’ve you been?

B: 最近忙しい

Saikin isogashii

I’ve been busy.

A: 最近いいことあった？

Saikin ii koto atta?

Anything good happen to you
recently?

B: そうだね。彼氏ができた！

Sō da ne. Kareshi ga dekitayo.

Well, I got a new boyfriend.

A: 相変わらず仕事忙しい？

Aikawarazu shigotoisogashii?

Is work busy as usual?

B: まあね。

Maa ne.

I guess so.

Ex.2

Ex.3

Ex.4

Ex. 5

Learn Japanese Pod

2. Talking about the weather(Good for people you don’t know​天気、気候、季節の話題から入るのは、知らない人でも使えますよ。）
Ex.6
A: 暑いですね / 寒いですね/ いい天気ですね

Atsui desu ne / Samui desune / Ii tenki desu ne

It’s hot isn’t it? / It’s cold isn’tit? / It’s nice weather isn’t it?

B: そうですね。

Sō da ne.

Yeah it is.

You can add 最近 Saikin - recently - or 今日は Kyō wa - today - before any of those.
3. At work
Ex.7
A: おつかれさま。

Otsukaresama

Thanks for your hard work.

B: おつかれさま。

Otsukaresama(And you too)

Learn Japanese Pod4. At a party
Ex.7
A: はじめまして、アレックスです。

Hajimemashite Arekkusudesu.

Nice to meet you I’m Alex.

B: はじめまして、あみです。

Hajimemashite Ami desu.

Nice to meet you I’m Ami.

A: お仕事は？

Oshigoto wa?

What do you do for work?

B: 忍者です。

Ninja desu.

I’m a ninja.

A: ここ初めてですか？

Koko hajimete desu ka?

Is this your first time here?

B: そうですね。

Sō desu ne.

Yes it is.

A: なんで日本に来たんですか？

Nande nihon ni kitan desu ka.

Why did you come to Japan?

B: 仕事のためです。

Shigoto no tame desu.

For work.

Ex.8

Ex.9

Ex.10

Learn Japanese Pod5. Other casual conversation starters between good friends
ね、聞いてねー、ねー
どーもどーもそういえばさー
てかさー
聞いてよー

Ne kiite
Nee neeDōmo dōmo
Sō ieba sa
Te ka saa
Kiite yo

6. Kansai dialect
まいどMaido

Hey, listenHey, hey
Hey what’s up (Usually older men)
So about that thing...
So you know what...
Listen!

Hi (Literally means “everytime”)

Random Phrase of the weekRandom Phrase of the week
A: もうかりまっか？
Mōkarimakka
B: ボチボチでんな
Bochi bochi denna

How’s business?
Can’t complain.

This phrase is from Kansai but to be honest people don’t really use this anymore. However, it isworth learning to say to your Japanese friends as they’ll probably find it pretty funny you know
this phrase.

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Hi, this is Alex, the creator of Learn
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